Join all or any part of this 4-day, family-friendly, broad-based citizen’s walk (or roll) over the Easter long-weekend, from Songhees to Tsleil-waututh territory, Victoria B.C to Burnaby, in unity and solidarity to protect global climate and marine ecosystems of the Salish Sea and surrounding communities from the threat of expanded tar sands pipelines and tanker traffic .

May 25-28
Starts “Mile 0”1 Douglas street, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1J6
More info and to join: https://www.facebook.com/events/955947501203696/

This walk will culminate at a mass convergence at the Kinder Morgan Westridge terminal, to oppose the dangerous Kinder Morgan pipeline/tanker expansion, threatening climate, indigenous rights and resources, drinking water, salmon habitat, the coastal web of life and local economies that depend on it.

This fossil-fuel-free mobilization will connect people of all ages from all walks of life from the islands, the Puget Sound basin, and the Fraser river watershed up the planned route of the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. It will bring together First Nations, labour, youth, students, faith groups, ENGOS, social justice and anti-poverty groups, LGBTQI community,fishermen/women, the eco-tourism sector and all concerned citizens whose love of this coast will not allow us to stand by passively while this toxic industrialization of the natural world continues, to the peril of future generations.

People are welcomed to join for whatever length of the journey they wish– walking, in wheelchairs, running, roller-blading, skateboarding –on this journey of resistance to needless big oil dveloppment and in solidarity with First Nations who have taken a strong stand withdrawing consent for this project, exercising their rights and Title on unceded and Douglas treaty lands and waters.

The main messages of the Walk is :

1) Respect for Indigenous laws and rights- withiout free, prior and informed consent, government approval for pipeline/tanker expansion is a violation of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, section 35 of the Canadian constitution on Aboriginal Rights and Title, Douglas Treaty rights and principles of Indigenous laws that require indigenous leaders to be ecological steards of their lands.

2) Climate leaders don’t expand fossil fuel infrastructure and calling on the federal government to immediately invest in clean energy infrastructure and job creation that curbs greenhouse gas emissions, not increases them.

3) Water is life and the risks to rivers, salmon habitat, drinking watersheds and our coast from inevitable spills is not acceptable.

The mobilization will include large marine wildlife puppets, evening programs, infoworkshops, communal camping and dinners, ceremony, reconciliation/talking circles, a rally aboard BC Ferries and entertainament with a peaceful, mass demonstration at the Kinder Morgan Westridge terminal as a final destination of the journey.

Groups and individuals are encouraged to mobilize from any point of origin and either join in the existing route or meet independently at ground zero on April 17th, for the mass convergence. We are asking for help in arranging lodging for participants along the route ad organizing events at stop points along the way.

A major obective of the mobilization is to generate public awareness and direct financial support for indigenous-led initiaves to stop construction of the Kinder Morgan TMX, recently approved by Parliament. Proceeds from fundraising, will be split three ways between

1. Raven Trust -Pull Together campaign supporting First Nations legal defense.

2. Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs/Coast Protectors

3. Frontline indigenous land defense camps, halting pipeline construction.

Partners so far in this initiative include: Coast Protectors, Raven Trust, Greenpeace ( Victoria volunter group), Force of Nature, We Love This Coast, Leap-Victoria, Turning the Tide and Social Environmental Alliance

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This event will be taking place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Lekwungn, Songhees, Esquimault and W’sanec səlil̓wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Coast Salish Nations

For more information and to either volunteer or make a donatiion please call: 778-265-3748